


A day in the life in 2025…

by Sharonneke95



Category: Original Work
Genre: 2025, AVGaming, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Virtuality, AugmentedVirtuality, DeliveryDrone, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Friendship, Future, Future Fic, Gen, Internet of Things, InternetOfThings, IoT, Near Future, School Assignment, SchoolAssignment, Smartwatch, Technology, TechnologyHeavy, self-driving cars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21622858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharonneke95/pseuds/Sharonneke95
Summary: This was written for one of my classes in 2017, about what technologies we expect to have developed and integrated into our lives by the year 2025. It describes what I (sort of) expected daily life to be like in little less than a decade from when it was written. Warning: it's quite tech-focused (because of the class). I just loved the story too much to leave it on my professor's pile and not do anything with it. One-shot.Technologies featured:- Augmented Virtuality gaming- Self-driving car- Internet of Things as Domestic Artificial Intelligence System – DAISY & Home'o'stat- HorseFly delivery drone- A screen replacing TV and computer screens. Bit like how chromecast works, I'm guessing- A smartwatch, but then with complete mobile phone functionsAll poured together into what I hope is a fun to read, domestic piece.





	A day in the life in 2025…

I walk towards Benjamin while looking around for the rest of our team.

"Oh man," he sighs while taking off his AV headset, which makes him disappear from my view. I quickly copy his action and am once again amazed at how the Martian landscape changes back into the empty hangar we started in. "It happened again, Danny. I don't know what we're doing wrong, but we keep getting our asses kicked." His expression turns even more sour when he looks to some spot behind me before walking away.

I turn around and see our opponents smiling broadly. Their leader walks towards me and extends his hand. I reluctantly take it, immediately wishing I can let go of the sweaty palm.

"Well played," he says with what sounds like a slightly sarcastic tone. Or maybe that's what my mood makes of it. "Too bad we were better."

Standing as tall as I can, I respond. "We've only just started with this setup. We'll beat you next time. Wait and see."

The leader smirks and intensifies his grip before letting me go. "Until next time then." He then walks away to his teammates.

I turn around to gather my own team. Iris, Maryann and Ben are already discussing the ups and downs of the game. "They took down two of us at the same time! I didn't even know that was possible."

My wristband beeps and one look at the device on my inner wrist tells me that my order will arrive within an hour. "Guys, I'll have to go. Just got beeped by UPS. So stop bantering around and let's check out."

Iris laughs and leads the way to the exit. "We weren't even bantering yet."  
"Yeah, you phrased that right." I comment with a smile of my own. "Yet."

After handing in all our gear, I head outside and stop an AutoCar. The others decided to grab a drink at a juice bar further down the street, so I won't have to share the vehicle.

Once I get inside the AutoCar, a female computerised voice asks: _"Where would you like to go?"_

I hold my wristband in front of the receiver. "Home."

" _Destination confirmed. Thank you for choosing to travel with AutoCar, mister Lewin."_

I sit back and try to enjoy the view while the AutoCar starts driving, but I'm too restless to just sit and wait. I take out the retractable screen from the dashboard in front of me and re-establish the link that was created when the receiver made contact with my wristband. The screen shows it is still 30 minutes until my package gets delivered. I'm really excited to unpack.  
I swipe through the menus, but nothing is able to capture my attention for long, so I put away the screen and look outside again.

The view is not what it used to be, but I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing. The city makes me feel locked up sometimes, with all its high and grey buildings, busy streets and lack of greens. It's always a great feeling when the AutoCar drives past the city borders and into the old parts, where the sidewalks are still uneven and every house has a garden in the front. This is what home feels like and even though the city has a lot to offer, I prefer to come home to a street without the constant stream of traffic. You may not hear or smell the cars anymore, not like in the past anyways, but the cars rushing by make me feel tense.

The voice of the AutoCar interrupts my reveries. _"Arrived at destination. Hold your arm in front of the receiver to pay and open the door."_

The car door closes automatically behind me and leaves me standing alone at the beginning of my front yard. My front door opens with another wave of my hand and the Home'o'stat immediately scans my wristband to check my physiology. Home'o'stat is basically some sort of central computer that oversees everything going on in my house. It sets the heating, opens and closes windows and turns electrical devices on and off. I was one of the lucky few who got to test it when it came out first and now I can test another little thing the inventors of Home'o'stat created. Let me tell you, being friends with the son of the CEO of such a big and innovative company is awesome.

As I walk into the kitchen, I check the status of the delivery once more. Approximately ten minutes. That would be enough time for a quick phone call. I swipe my fingers across the screen of my wristband to scroll down the menus until I find what I'm looking for.

The line is answered after three tones and the face Benjamin appears on the small screen on my inner arm. He seems to be walking outside. "Hi there! Did you receive it already?"

"No, it's still on its way. It should be here in a few minutes. What about you?" Ben is also one of the lucky ones who is allowed to test the new system.

"It won't arrive until late this evening so I'll probably be testing it early tomorrow. You keep me updated on what it's like, right?"

I nod. "I will. Did you read all the instructions?"

Benjamin shakes his head. "Of course not! I'll figure it out myself. Don't go telling me you did. Maryann wouldn't stop complaining about how you tried to figure out the new AR systems without the manual."

I laugh as I open the fridge and reach in to grab a drink.  
"Ah, man," I hear Ben say. "I really hate it when you do that. Stop using your arm when you're video calling. It's nauseating to move around like that."

"You cannot get nauseous from such a small screen and you can just look away. The whole idea of replacing those old phones with this was so you'd have both hands free to do other stuff."

To prove my point, I take the drink in my left hand and shake it.  
"Ugh, that better not be a fizzy drink. And no, that was not the whole idea. I'm curious what you think the idea of DAISY is. It surely will be something creative."  
The ringing of the doorbell makes me look up and smile. "There you'll have it. I'll talk to you once it's installed properly, okay?"

"If you're not too occupied playing around you mean?"

We both laugh as I hang up and walk to the front door. The HorseFly delivery drone extends a mechanical arm and hands me a small package. I hold my wristband over the scanner and take the parcel. The drone flies back up, until it has reached the drone-airspace.

The carton has been ripped off of the package to reveal a small USB before I have reached Home'o'stat's docking station. I plug it into the station and wait for something to happen.

 _Domestic Artificial Intelligence System is being downloaded._ That message shows up on the screen on the wall. _Current status: 2%_

Well, that's going to take quite some time. It's probably a big system that needs to be integrated throughout every room, so that's not a big surprise. Still, I'm too excited to wait so I grab the instruction manual and glance through it, without actually reading something. There aren't many pictures in it, probably because DAISY will work on voice command, so the manual bores me quickly. I look up, only to see that the _current status_ is now at _9%_. With I sigh I put the booklet down and walk back to my kitchen. Guess I've got plenty of time to clean up. Unfortunately, that is not one of the many things that DAISY will be doing once she's installed.

Cleaning up almost took enough time for the installation. I have barely hurried back to the docking station before a beep sounds throughout the house. A mechanical, female voice speaks up right after. _"DAISY has been successfully installed. Use any command to get started."_

With a sigh I pick up the manual again. Maybe I should have read it beforehand. Then I might have known some of the comments already.

I flip through the pages. Where should I start? Somewhere easy? But what would an AI consider easy? "DAISY," I say, to indicate she has to start listening. "Close the window."

Immediately all blinders go down and I'm enveloped by darkness. That worked too well. "Open the kitchen window."

Once again there is an almost instant effect. My living room is still dark, but the sun falls through the now again open window in the kitchen.

"Cool," I whisper. Immediately I hear a blowing sounds, which can be nothing else than the airconditioning. "No, no, stop!"

" _Abort last command?"_

"Yes."

The airco turns back off as I flip through the pages to find the command which stops the AI from listening to me. "Thank you."

" _DAISY is standby."_

"Cool," I whisper once again. Nothing happens this time.

The system is still in its initial phase. It is supposed to learn when to listen and act without the commands telling it when to start and stop. That's why it needs testing now, to gather that data.

I look around, trying to find other things I can let DAISY play with. This is going to be a fun day!

It's bordering on night when I remember to call Ben, so I postpone that until the morning. "Daisy, call Benjamin and display it on the main screen."

" _Benjamin is being called. The call will be displayed on the main screen."_

"Thank you."

It takes a lot more beeps than usual before someone answers the phone. I sit down at a chair so I can properly view the main screen, only to see a somewhat wild-looking Ben appear on the display.

"Hey," I call out. "What's up over there?"

"Ah man," Ben sighs. "I think something went wrong with the installation. That AI has gone rogue!"

I laugh. "Did you take up the manual?"

Ben looks at me like I'm crazy. "Did you?"

"Pretty quickly, yes. Put away the bravado and take out the manual."

Benjamin looks away from me and I can hear paper rustling. I try to look past him and see the blinders of his window going up and down and up again. In the background I hear some vaguely familiar sounds. "Ben, let me guess. She turned on the airco?"

Ben quickly comes back into view and stares again. "Yes! All I said was 'cool'. Can you believe that?"

I snicker. "Yep. Did you find the manual?"

"Not yet, but I'm going to put you on the main screen. So I can use both my hands and don't turn you nauseous. I'm considerate like that."

The screen flickers and suddenly I see Ben from another angle. His room is a mess, but it's even worse than usual. "Did you find a command that made your shelves explode?"

"Ha, ha. Not funny. Can't you just tell me the command to make it all stop?"

"Turn her back on and tell her to stop."

"It's not that easy." Ben gives me one of his looks again. "Is it?"

I see him turning around. "DAISY, stop."

I look up to see if anything changes on my side, but my version of the AI seems to remain dormant.

"Really? I tried that already!" I hear Ben through the connection, followed by _"DAISY did not recognise that command."_

Ben surely looks ready to explode, so I decide I've had enough fun for now and tell him which commands turn things back to normal.

"Thanks," Ben sighs as he finally flops onto his couch, only to jump back up and pull away at a cushion. What he takes out is a very familiar-looking piece of paper.

"The manual?"

Ben falls back onto the couch. "The manual," he confirms with a defeated tone.

That afternoon Ben, Maryann and Iris are all at my place. I told Ben he was only allowed to come in if he promised to not mess up DAISY and that seems to work quite well up to now. The girls are impressed with the system, but the Home'o'stat still amazes them as well so that's not much of a surprise.

When everyone is settled down and has something to drink, I tell DAISY to turn on the main screen. Before the others arrived, I loaded the file we received at the AV hangar yesterday. It shows a time-lapse of what could be seen from each of our AV headsets. Hopefully, we can learn something from it, so we won't be beaten like that again.

"DAISY, play and use Simon says command." The Simon says command allows me to talk freely. While she's in this mode, DAISY only responds to statements that start with her name.

She acknowledges my commands and the video starts to run.

It takes us almost two hours to get through all the material and to replay everything until we cannot think of any other possible bottlenecks in our play, but we haven't really found anything that will help us win the next challenge.

With a big sigh I desperately call out. "DAISY, please show us where we can improve our game!"

Instead of hearing a comment that indicates that my command wasn't understood, the video starts playing.

We all leap into sitting position. What…?

It takes a moment of the four of us looking intently at the screen before I fall back again. Right, like DAISY would be able to tell us that. Maybe someday, but-

"There! DAISY, pause!" Maryann's shout brings my attention back to the screen.

"What? What did you see?"

Maryann points towards the now still image. "Do you see that? Do you see what they did there?"

It takes some time for me to process what I see, but then it becomes very clear. "You're kidding me…"

Ben looks just as flabbergasted as I feel. "Did DAISY really catch that? We looked it over three times!"

Iris shrugs. "I don't care how she did it, whether it was by accident or not. DAISY, you are amazing!"

" _I am pleased to have earned your appreciation."_

Two weeks later I once again take off my AV headset, although the feeling is very different from last time.

Iris and Benjamin run towards me, both showing a very big smile on their faces. A moment later I hear Maryann scream in my ear. "We did it! We finally did it!"

Ben gives me a high-five. "Oh man, can you believe it? That's one of the quickest games we played. And we didn't lose!"

The opposite team draws closer, seemingly taken aback by our enthusiasm. The only girl in the team speaks up. "Well played, guys. I don't think I've ever seen a team play together like that!"

I can't prevent the smile that is breaking through. "Thank you. You weren't that bad yourself."

She looks at me curiously. "Where did you learn that strategy? We're looking for ways to improve our game."

Next to me, Ben laughs. "I can assure you, it was a random move from our strategist." That makes our whole team bursts out in giggles.

As the other team walks off, I turn to my friends. "Did we just gain another team member?"

That makes Ben bark out a laugh again. "We should try to enrol her officially next season. A player without a last name, a birthdate of less than a year ago and an IQ that's immeasurable."

As we walk towards the exit, I remember the conversation Benjamin and I had before DAISY's USB was delivered. "Hey, Ben! Was this what you were thinking of when you said I'd come up with a creative use for DAISY?"

Ben has to think for a moment to remember what I'm talking about and then snorts. "I don't think anyone could have ever thought of this."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts about it :) How do you think technology will have changed our lives by the time we reach 2025? (If you answer this question and it is already 2025 or later, you're cheating ;p )
> 
> -Sharonneke95 <3
> 
> __________  
> Because this was an assignment, I had to provide some more information about the used technologies and argue why I think they will be developed and integrated into our lives by 2025. I have some links to existing techs that some of these are based on somewhere still, so feel free to drop me a PM if you want to read them.
> 
> Augmented Virtuality, AV  
> Like virtual reality, but now a user can physically interact with things in that virtual world. Other players are visible in the game type described in this story. Technology can already show VR avatars that follow your own movement. I don't think it will be a big step from this to putting together multiple avatars in one virtual world and let them interact, especially if such an interaction would also take place in the real world.
> 
> AutoCar  
> From Automatic car. Self-driving vehicle with vocal feedback. It responds to words recorded by the individual which are linked to a certain location. It also holds a screen which can make a connection to a user's wristband, but when the wristband is out of reach (the reach will probably be short and will not reach far from the screen) it automatically signs out the user
> 
> Domestic Artificial Intelligence System – DAISY  
> A basic AI that does the same as Home'o'stat, but with speech-recognition and vocal feedback. This may allow for some interpretation by the system. (You can interpret the spot on pointer in this story in whichever way you want; DAISY understands, it's a lucky random guess or maybe even an early instant of the infinite monkey theorem.)  
> This can be seen as a combination of Siri and the Internet of Things-theory
> 
> Home'o'stat  
> A sort of central computer that oversees everything going on in a household. It sets the heating, opens and closes windows, turns electrical devices on and off etc. Yes! The Internet of Things!
> 
> HorseFly delivery drone  
> UPS' already existing delivery drone.
> 
> Main screen  
> A television-like screen, but as a lot of people/youngsters have stopped watching direct television and now use online, on-demand sources, all is needed is a screen with internet connection. Might function as a big computer screen (for gaming perhaps?). So, kind of an advanced smart-TV
> 
> Wristband technology  
> A smartwatch-like version of a mobile phone. It can also be used to pay with (contactloos pinnen) and to establish a connection to a personal cloud which holds the user's info and files (if it is possible to access something a supposedly secure as a bank account, a semi-open cloud account should be accessible as well).  
> It can be worn in any way the use wants, but Danny wears it on the inner side of his wrist, as that makes it easier to videocall with someone. Yes, this may result in a tired arm for long calls, but that's also the case for a phone call in 2017.


End file.
